Protecting the Palm Beaches – a tribute to those who serve and sacrifice
Bottom Line: This weekly feature is designed to recognize those who've paid the ultimate price to serve their communities and to serve as a reminder of what our police risk to keep us safe. We highlight a remarkable effort by local law enforcement each week. Joel Malkin brings you the perspective in local news from leaders in local law enforcement.
I bring you the unfortunate news you need to know:
- 128 police officers died in the line of duty in 2017
- 127 officers have fallen in 2018
- 9 of the officers we've lost served in Florida
This week we lost another hero. In North Carolina, officer Jared William Franks died of injuries sustained from a vehicle crash while he was in pursuit of a robbery suspect.
In 2018 we’ve had 81 widows and over 100 children who’ve lost a parent. These are often the untold stories of the people who've sacrificed their lives in service of their communities. This is our small part to attempt to recognize those who've sacrificed the most for our safety. The average age of the officers at the time of their death was 42. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 13 years. Overall police fatalities are up 2% year over year and murdering of police officers is up 18%.
Remember to back the badge and spread the word. Media often aren't there for our law enforcement, but we can be. Let our police, and their families, know we support them every chance you get. They need it, now more than ever, just as we need them more than ever.